So generic results are to be pushed further, further down. I've not the slightest doubt that this will end up in the courts, the original complainants are not going to accept this.

'Lobbying' seems to have won yet again.

So generic results are to be pushed further, further down. I've not the slightest doubt that this will end up in the courts, the original complainants are not going to accept this.

I'd imagine that the FairSearch lobbying group are less concerned with "generic results" than with getting preferential placement on Google's SERPs--which they'll get under the terms of the settlement.

Oh well it is the google searchers that make google..... the more cluttered and confusing the search results will mean google will suffer in the end eventually... HAHA

Fairsearch does seem to be a bunch of big businesses wanting a bit more of the cake than advocates of real competition.

The good news is that the example screenshots:

[gigaom.com ]

Seem to show promotion from generic SERPS as what is happening. If that is what happens it would be very good.

by which the search company will always display the services of 3 rivals in a way that’s comparable to how it displays its own.

This makes me wonder. It implements that Google chooses 3 rivals, no matter if they are real rivals or just crappy sites. They will not be choosen by competiton.

What if there are 5 rivals all better than Google?

3 rivals.. so I imagine what Google would do is display rival results that always appear more expensive than their results, for example in the screenshot you attached above, Google will probably just list

gas grill

Google product $10 | alternative 1 $15 | alternative 2 $16

MEP: Google's SECRET deal will cause crisis of trust for Europe

Google's secret backroom deal with the EU's competition chief can only worsen the crisis of trust in the European institutions, one MEP tells us. This week the Competition Commissioner Joaquín Almunia said he would advise the Commission to reject complaints made about Google's business practices, thus allowing the search giant to avoid a costly competition trial.

The bulk of the complaints (although not all of them) deal with Google's practice of inserting its own products and services high into its "organic" or "natural" search results, and demoting rivals.

Source: [theregister.co.uk...]

2/10/2014: Consumer Watchdog Rejects EU Settlement with Google

In separate letters addressed to the Commission's Secretary-General and 27 of the 28 commissioners, John M. Simpson, Consumer Watchdog's Privacy Project director wrote:

"In addition to our deep concerns about the procedure that is being followed in apparent contradiction to Commission policy, we have strong objections to this third proposal from the Internet giant on its merits in so far as we have been able to determine the details of what Google is offering. At a minimum any remedy must insist that Google use an objective, nondiscriminatory mechanism to rank and display all search results – including links to Google products."

Source: [cnbc.com...]

MEP: Google's SECRET deal will cause crisis of trust for Europe

Written my an MEP from the Swedish 'Pirate Party' no less.

European politics are in a worse state than Google's search results. Well, almost anyhow.